Melbourne student recalls Tallahassee gun reform rally; school district readying for more demonstrations

Bailey Vickers was sitting in her photography class at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy on Valentine’s Day when she received a troubling text from her mother. The quick message was about a shooting at a south Florida high school - one that would become one of the worst mass shootings in Florida history.

“My mom texted me and said that a big shooting had happened,” the senior said. “It definitely didn’t feel good, just because of everything’s that’s been happening.”

Wednesday – one week after a 19-year-old gunman clutching an AR-15 shot and killed 14 students and three teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland – Vickers found herself in Tallahassee where hundreds of other students marched to demand gun reform.

Students from across the state traveled to the capital carried signs demanding change in the state’s gun laws, while shouting ‘We will not give up,’ with of the shooting survivors hoping to talk with Gov. Rick Scott. Vickers, in Tallahassee already on winter break, was decided to attend the event with her friend.

The massacres reverberations were felt across Brevard County as students talked about gun reform and organized rallies during school time to send a message to authorities, from the governor to area school administrators.

About 500 students walked out of Heritage High School in Palm Bay on Wednesday for 17 minutes – one minute for every victim - to voice their concerns. The students waved signs with the victims' names and chanting "Stop the violence!" and "Enough is enough!"

On Thursday, about 200 Titusville High students did the same, leaving their classrooms for an hour in solidarity with their peers statewide and the students in Parkland, about three hours south of the city.

Other major marches are set for next month, according to local social media posts. Brevard County school district officials are reviewing the dates and monitoring concerns from students.

“We’re looking into it,” said district spokeswoman Jennifer Wolfinger of the upcoming marches slated for March 24 and another, possibly earlier date. “It’s such a large effort that I’m sure some of our students are thinking about it,” she added.

Students who walked out of class in Palm Bay said they wanted the rallies to lead to stricter gun laws, such as raising the legal age to buy firearms to 21 and more thorough background checks.

Vickers, who said the latest school shooting has made her aware of the issues surrounding gun reform, agreed. “I just don’t believe a 19-year-old should be able to walk out of a store with an AR-15,” she said.

Students in the protests – from Parkland to Tallahassee - also want better communication between mental health professionals and gun vendors.

President Trump, who held a session Wednesday at the White House with shooting victims and family members, and others have offered responses ranging from equipping teachers with guns to raising age limits for AR-15 purchases.

“I understand the fact that it would be for protection,” Bailey said, referring to the proposal to arm teachers. “But teachers can have the exact same things wrong with them. I don’t think it’s safe. Kids could get access to their weapons,” she said.

Lamaur Stancil contributed to this report. Contact Gallop at 321-242-3642, jdgallop@floridatoday.com and Twitter at @JDGallop